217. Navigating Tech Careers as a Woman In this episode, I sit down with Limor Bergman Gross, a former engineering leader turned coach, to unpack what really holds leaders back, especially in technical and male-dominated environments. Limor shares her journey from software engineer to director of engineering, and the pivotal moment that changed everything: a promotion that wasn’t aligned with what she actually wanted. That experience became the catalyst for a bigger realization, if you don’t advocate for your career, someone else will define it for you. We explore the common pattern many high-performing leaders fall into: working hard, delivering results, and assuming that will be enough. But as Limor shares, visibility, influence, and intentional communication are what actually open doors to leadership. We also talk about the internal barriers like self-doubt, hesitation to speak up, fear of asking “the wrong question”and how those show up in subtle ways, from language to body positioning in meetings. This conversation is a powerful reminder that leadership isn’t about doing more it's about thinking differently, communicating strategically, and making your impact visible. If you’ve ever felt overlooked, underestimated, or unsure how to take the next step in your career, this episode will give you both perspective and practical shifts you can start making immediately. Key Takeaways Hard work alone won’t get you promoted Performance builds credibility—but visibility and communication create opportunity. If you don’t define your career, someone else will Leaders who don’t express what they want often get placed into paths they didn’t choose. Confidence shows up in subtle ways Language, posture, and presence all communicate how you see yourself—and others respond accordingly. Growth requires discomfort Whether it’s speaking up, challenging ideas, or taking on visibility opportunities—stretch is part of the process. Leadership is about impact, not activity It’s not about what you do—it’s about how your work influences outcomes and how clearly others understand that. The book that Limor recommends: The Leader Who Had No Title by Robin Sharma Limor Bergman Gross on LinkedIn Limor Bergman Gross on Substack Thank you for listening to The Visibility Factor Podcast! Check out my website to order my books and view the videos/resources for The Visibility Factor book and Your Journey to Visibility Workbook. As always, I encourage you to reach out! You can email me at hello@susanmbarber.com. You can also find me on social media everywhere –Facebook, LinkedIn, and of course on The Visibility Factor Podcast! I look forward to connecting with you! If you liked The Visibility Factor Podcast, I would be so grateful if you could subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts! Choose one episode or something that was shared that made a difference for you and put it into the review! It helps the podcast get in front of more people who can learn how to be visible too!
